Onset of collective motion in locusts is captured by a minimal model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a minimal individual-based model that captures the transition from disordered to collective motion in locusts within an annular arena, highlighting the role of demographic noise in this process.

Contribution

The study provides a quantitative, minimal model that explains the onset of collective motion in locusts, incorporating demographic noise and fitting parameters to experimental data.

Findings

Model accurately reproduces experimental locust behavior

Demographic noise influences density-dependent motion transitions

Quantitative comparison with experimental data validates the model

Abstract

We present a minimal model to describe the onset of collective motion seen when a population of locusts are placed in an annular arena. At low densities motion is disordered, while at high densities locusts march in a common direction, which may reverse during the experiment. The data is well-captured by an individual-based model, in which demographic noise leads to the observed density-dependent effects. By fitting the model parameters to equation-free coefficients, we give a quantitative comparison, showing time series, stationary distributions and the mean switching times between states.